Independent retail chains have slammed the government for leaving them without adequate support in the front-line fight against underage drinkers seeking to buy alcohol.
A total of 91% of those responding to The Grocer’s latest Top 50 reader panel survey felt the government had failed to offer enough help.
“The government provides no support, but only lays blame,” said one retailer. “Insufficient dialogue and insufficient support,” was another’s view of the government’s contribution. “The same can be said of Trading Standards and the police. They do not recognise the difference between people who wish to obey the law, but slip up, and rogue traders with no civil
responsibility.”
Most of those surveyed supported test purchasing and all said they regularly trained staff to deal with minors trying to buy alcohol. But the majority admitted to having been caught out by test purchasers and said the government needed to treat them as part of the solution, not part of the problem.
Their comments precede another aggressive round of test purchasing in 25 police districts in the run-up to November 24, when the new licensing laws take effect.
The reader panel findings also coincided with a meeting between the top six supermarkets, the British Retail Consortium, the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, home secretary Charles Clarke and culture secretary Tessa Jowell to tackle the issue of selling to underage drinkers. Retailers were urged to sign up to an action plan to promote sensible drinking and responsible retailing. The group aims to meet again later this year and an Alcohol Retailing Standards Group has been formed to co-ordinate retailers’ approach.
Kevin Hawkins, director general of the BRC, said the Association of Convenience Stores did not attend the meeting, but he hoped it would join the ARSG. He said the government had pledged to press on with creating a generic proof-of-age card and to fast-track related policy decisions.
But he said that was only part of the answer, as many retailers were being intimidated into selling alcohol to minors. “A key flash point for crime and abuse against retailers is when people are challenged on their age.”
Rod Addy
A total of 91% of those responding to The Grocer’s latest Top 50 reader panel survey felt the government had failed to offer enough help.
“The government provides no support, but only lays blame,” said one retailer. “Insufficient dialogue and insufficient support,” was another’s view of the government’s contribution. “The same can be said of Trading Standards and the police. They do not recognise the difference between people who wish to obey the law, but slip up, and rogue traders with no civil
responsibility.”
Most of those surveyed supported test purchasing and all said they regularly trained staff to deal with minors trying to buy alcohol. But the majority admitted to having been caught out by test purchasers and said the government needed to treat them as part of the solution, not part of the problem.
Their comments precede another aggressive round of test purchasing in 25 police districts in the run-up to November 24, when the new licensing laws take effect.
The reader panel findings also coincided with a meeting between the top six supermarkets, the British Retail Consortium, the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, home secretary Charles Clarke and culture secretary Tessa Jowell to tackle the issue of selling to underage drinkers. Retailers were urged to sign up to an action plan to promote sensible drinking and responsible retailing. The group aims to meet again later this year and an Alcohol Retailing Standards Group has been formed to co-ordinate retailers’ approach.
Kevin Hawkins, director general of the BRC, said the Association of Convenience Stores did not attend the meeting, but he hoped it would join the ARSG. He said the government had pledged to press on with creating a generic proof-of-age card and to fast-track related policy decisions.
But he said that was only part of the answer, as many retailers were being intimidated into selling alcohol to minors. “A key flash point for crime and abuse against retailers is when people are challenged on their age.”
Rod Addy
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